Masi Magam Festival of Pondicherry

The Masi Magam Festival of Pondicherry is celebrated on the full moon day of the Tamil month of Masi, corresponding to the months of February - March by the Gregorian calendar. The focus of the festival lies on the bathing of the deities in the waters of `theerthavari' or Bay of Bengal. Idols from as many as 64 temples are brought in the early morning to the sea front near Kuruchikuppam in Pondicherry and given a ceremonial bath through various rituals. The auspicious Nadhaswaram, which is a non- brass acoustic instrument of South India, blows loud as an accompaniment to the colorful processions that take out the deities.

The devotees who flock with the processions, take dips on the holy water of the sea with the faith that the immersion would actually wash away the sins. The whole of the sea shore in the Masi Magam Festival of Pondicherry becomes a fair ground full of fun and festivity. It is mostly celebrated by the fishermen community of Pondicherry. Deities like Lord Sivasubramania, Swami Sri Sivasubramania Swami, Sri Aranganatha Swami and Sri Poyyamozhi Vinayakar from important temples attract most of the attention in the Masi Magam Festival in Pondicherry.

Apart from the Kuruchikuppam shore, the Pondicherry Masi Magam festival is also celebrated at other places. At Vriddhachalam, people gather with the deities on the banks of Manimuktha, to celebrate the Masi Magam. The food stalls, temporary shops selling nick knacks flock by the edge of the sea. The deities return to their respective temples in the evening through equally colorful processions.